"A good mix of farming and fun!"

Instead of the generic plot of you having to take the farmland from a deceased family member, Magical Melodies has started off with a new twist.

The HM Goddess is depressed and discouraged that the townsfolk have forgotten about her and have lost their belief in her, and in turn becomes nothing more but a motionless, stone figure. The HM Sprites, desperately in need of help in reviving her, ask you to lend them a hand.

Harvest Moon: Magical Melodies begins by stepping into town and taking up the job to become a farmer. After choosing one of the three available plots of land, the HM Sprites arrive at your doorway to take you to the gloomy figurine of the HM Goddess to tell you the story. After revealing all the details, it becomes your job to collect a whole one hundred magic notes in order to revive the town's forgotten HM Goddess.

Graphics

Harvest Moon has gone back to clay figures/anime style characters; a major change from their previous release, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. And with that said, the graphics are perfect for this style of game. HM: MM is a wonderful game as it is, but the graphics make the game's physical aspect extraordinary.

Music and Sound

While attending to your duties in town, pleasant music plays in the background, accompanied with the sounds from nature such as your feet pattering on the dirt, the animals calling, and much more. So, there's plenty of variety in what you'll hear while playing the game, without the music getting too old too soon.

Controls

As great of a game as HM: MM is, the controls seem a little off-key at first. On the first few days, it can be difficult getting work done on the farm from confusion with recognizing the right button to hit. But after a while, you begin to break in the controls with little to no trouble at all with getting your work done.

Gameplay

There's a massive amount of things you can do on and off the farm that can fill up your day with entertainment. You can go fishing, raise livestock, plant and grow crops, cut up lumber for house upgrades, woo that special someone, take a ride to a unique island, attend to town festivities, and much, much more!

That's right. Woo that special someone. Unlike [PS2 release] HM: Save the Homeland, you can marry, and this time, get choose one of the ten available spouses, and even your rival hitting the 11th. Not 3. Not 5. Eleven total choices. Not only that, but there's just as many for either gender you choose!

Yep. Either gender. Hoyes. You now have the option to play as either a boy or girl, mixing up the regular HM farming lifestyle. Enjoy, guys and gals.

Ever played HM: A Wonderful Life? Bored from the lack of things to do, and festivals? That's not a worry in this HM release. There are multiple festivals for each 30-day season. Yep. Season lengths are finally back to 30 days, accompanied by our missed festivals.

And now you can raise some of the familiar animals from AWL and HM64. Livestock is back to sheep, cows, horse[s], chickens, and even a pig. And having to impregnate your cow to get her to produce milk: Gone. Away. Vanished. Hooray!

Some of the familiar crops from HM64 and gameboy HM releases are making a return, such as corn and eggplants. And also along with other familiar crops such as breadfruit, like from HM: Save the Homeland. Being able to plant, care for, and grow crops such as cabbage, turnips, cocoa, tomatoes, bell peppers, and even more, have their way of keeping you busy on the fields.

Difficulty

The difficulty is based on how you plan out your life in the town. You can be busy all hours on the farm, or do absolutely nothing and watch the days go by. It's all up to you.

Replay Value

Yet another seemingly addictive HM game that keeps your eyes glued to the TV while rapidly tilling away. Good luck trying to put down the controller and take a break to the fridge.

Summary

Definitely a Harvest Moon any past HM gamers would enjoy, and even for those new to the series.